Antique solid chestnut dresser, it came from the estate of a Cornell professor in Cayuga Heights back in the 1990s.

Happy Friday, faithful readers! Did you find the lawnmower of your dreams? By the time I got to the Weed Eater mower, it was gone. But I will keep trying! This week: A few other suggestions for you as a buyer:

Looking at ads:If it looks too good to be true, it generally is. If you see a 2007 Toyota Pickup truck listed for $1902, it’s junk. I even replied to an ad for a truck that gave a specific address in town for a really good price. I don’t know if the woman had made enemies or if someone was just playing a prank, but when I got there, she said she had no idea what I was talking about, and there was no truck. If anything looks the least bit suspicious, err on the side of caution. Again, your call… but it is probably spam.

Bring cash, and bring proper change. Not everyone has cash, and it will be easier for you to try to strike a bargain with cash in hand, and denominations to accommodate either your price, or the seller’s asking price.

Pet Peeve: When people text without permission. If you say “Feel free to call or text” that is one thing, but it feels somewhat invasive to have a complete stranger sending texts to my phone… PLUS some people- like my Mom- do not have texting. So your message will never get through.

If you are meeting somewhere, and you are going to be late: Call. If you can’t make it: Call. Nothing I can’t stand more than no call no shows. Or someone who agrees to meet at a certain time but is up to an hour late… my time is money! No excuses!

Pick-up Location: If you are not comfortable meeting someone at your home to make a sale, you can agree to meet in a public place with lots of people (provided the item is transportable). I would advise against a big open empty parking lot… the more people the better.

Delivery: I have asked to have people deliver items to me and sometimes it works out sometimes it doesn’t. I have had the instance of when I get the item, it wasn’t what I expected, in which case, I will sometimes buy it anyway… I always offer gas money! It is whatever you are comfortable with.

While I do not hold items for people, I have asked people to hold something. Generally, if it is a large piece of furniture for example, I will offer to pay a deposit, or pay for the whole thing in advance. This gives me a guarantee they will not sell it, and gives me an opportunity to wrangle one of my friends with a truck into helping me out. If you do this, GET A RECEIPT. It is not unheard of that someone will sell an item to you, then sell it to someone else as well.

Craigslist is a wonderful resource, faithful readers! If you are apprehensive to buy anything, don’t hesitate to call on your old friend moxy. to find it for you. Above all, have fun! Happy hunting!